Blotted Symbol
by EmilyTT
Summary: The Dark Knight fell. When he arose, something more sinister rose with it


**A/N: Well, here's my latest one shot that I recently re-stumbled ****across in Microsoft word and decided to finish. Not quite sure where this one came from, but I hope you like it!**

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Gotham City used to have a symbol. A symbol of hope, protection, safety. That same symbol that protected them is now the direct cause of their fear.

No one in Gotham knew how and why it happened, but their protector suddenly became ruthless and vicious, beating criminals and thugs to a bloody pulp and leaving the broken bodies behind, not caring if people died from the wounds.

The GCPD now hunts for the symbol gone deranged, the very man that once worked so well with it now out for its blood and life.

Chaos erupted within the city. Arkham inmates stay in the asylum out of fear after the very near death of the Scarecrow. His spine was shattered and almost every bone able to have been broken without killing the man is being held together by screws and metal plating. Severe head trauma took away Crane's eyesight.

The symbol watches over his city from the highest building, technology and binoculars identifying any and all crime happening within the city.

He hears a soft thud behind him. Curling a lip, he speaks. "Tigress."

Her voice is terse, tense and cautious; uneasy and uncertain. "Batman."

"Metas aren't to be in Gotham," he warns his voice a low growl. He doesn't turn around and instead fiddles with something on his utility belt.

Tigress scoffs. "I don't have superpowers, remember? Not a meta." She takes pause as she catches one of his hands twitch into a fist for half of a second. "Everyone is worried about you."

Silence ensues as Batman finishes whatever it is he was working on. He still hasn't faced her, but she can feel the tension rippling across the roof like a broken wave in the ocean.

"Yes, well, I am 72 different flavors of done with you and the Justice League."

For a brief second, it felt like a glimpse of the Richard Grayson everyone knew and loved had come out of the hardened shell standing before her.

She takes a step forward and extends her hand. "You don't have to hide out here in Gotham, Batman. We all want to help you. Let us help you."

He turns toward her, his stiff stature hunching over and his lip curling. "And what if I don't want your help?"

Tigress scoffs and gestures to the stumble on his chin and the jagged scars on his cheeks. A thin trail of blood snakes its way down the side of his pale, gaunt face. "I don't think wanting has anything to do with it. You look like an open autopsy."

He nearly sneers. "I am exactly what Gotham needs me to be, Tigress. And if looking like an open autopsy is what I need to look like in order to get the job done, then so be it. What Gotham doesn't need is you, standing here and hunting me down just to talk. Save your words for during the daytime when the women of this city aren't being raped, the thieves aren't stealing, and the enemy isn't conspiring." He turns to leave.

Just before he can leap off the rooftop, Tigress speaks up again. "Wait! You know they're calling you a traitor? The Justice League and the Team?"

Raindrops begin to sprinkle the roof and a crack of lightning illuminates the various tears in the Batsuit.

"Maybe I am. All I know is that I'm doing what has to be done. Now stay out of my way. "

Instead of backing down, Tigress rushes at him. He whirls around and throws a punch at her. She ducks and barrels into him. They go flying down onto the next roof, landing with Tigress on top and holding a needle above her head, ready to ram it into his neck. The rain turns into a downpour, masking the tears falling down her face.

She hesitates, all the while making eye contact with those narrow lenses below her. He doesn't move, daring her to use the sedative on him.

"I thought… I thought I knew you," she whispers.

Thunder cracks overhead, rumbling throughout the desolate streets of Gotham.

The narrowed lenses soften. "You did, back then. But this is now. People change, Artemis. And not always for the better."

Artemis lets out a yell and lunges down with the needle, stopping millimeters above his jugular. Her hand shakes profusely before she drops it into a growing puddle of water. "Dick, if you actually care about this city, you'll stop and think about what you're doing."

He gently reaches up and wipes away her tears. She doesn't resist when he guides her off of his stomach, nor does she protest when he puts himself two yards away from her.

He stares at the needle lying between them. "I used to think that when bad things happened, tome slowed down. But to me, it felt fast. Too fast. Everything-" and as he speaks, his voice grows hard and angry "- seemed to happen in a single second as I saw the building explode, as I ran towards Bruce's body, as I waited and felt for any sign of life, and as I realized he would never get back up. It was in that moment that I realized we're too lenient on our criminals, Artemis.

"People like Joker? People like Scarecrow? Two-face? You can't fix that. All we've done is continuously lock them away, time and time again, waiting for them to break out and kill an traumatize thousands more. I realized that I can't stand for that anymore."

He stands up and walks away.

She hollers after him. "The League sent me here as your final warning to end this, Grayson!"

He doesn't stop moving. "Yes, I know. Now get out of my city. I've got a mission to complete, and apparently I'm the only one with the guts to do it."

"This is your last chance, Dick. If you do this, you'll lose your humanity."

He stops and slowly turns. He scoffs. "You and the League don't have the guts to what must be done. Because you're soft. Weak. Always have been, always will be."

Tigress' hands clench into fists. Anger overwhelms her, and she throws aside any sympathy she had for him. She snarls at him. "We're not soft. We're merciful. We'll be back soon to put an end to your tyrannical reign over this city. But if you try to do this, to fight back, I will show you no mercy."

He smirks at her. Lightning flashes once more, quickly followed by a thunderous boom. "A war is coming whether you like it or not, and I'm bringing the wrath of the Batman with me." And then he's gone.

Tigress lets out a heavy breath and raises her hand to her ear."I tried, Conner. He's gone."


End file.
